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rosecutors from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Wednesday demanded that judges at the Medan Corruption Court hand down an eight-year sentence to suspended Mandailing Natal regent Muhammad Hidayat Batubara for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rp 1 billion (US$81,732) for the Panyabungan General Hospital project.

In addition to the prison sentence, the prosecutors demanded Hidayat pay a fine of Rp 300 million or serve another five months in jail.

Prosecutor Fitroh Rohcahyanto stated the defendant Hidayat, who was also the regency's Democratic Party chairman, was proven guilty of accepting the bribe from a contractor named Surung Panjaitan for the hospital project.

Fitroh said the defendant violated Article 12 of Law No. 31/1999 on corruption.

'We demand the panel of judges pronounce Hidayat guilty of committing corruption,' said Fitroh at the court on Wednesday.

Fitroh added the bribery case came to light when Hidayat instructed his men to look for a contractor who was willing to pay a fee of 7 percent of the Rp 32 billion hospital project, funds of which were derived from the North Sumatra provincial 2013 Lower Regional Assistance (BDB) budget.

Under the instruction of the defendant, said Fitroh, Mandailing Natal Public Works Agency acting head Khairil Anwar Daulay agreed to the appointment of PT Sinar Gemilang, whose director Surung Panjaitan was willing to give a down payment of Rp 1 billion.

Khairil then allegedly passed the Rp 1 billion he received from Surung on to Hidayat.

In an earlier session, Hidayat admitted he accepted the bribe from Surung and claimed the money was related to the hospital project.

Fitroh said the defendant's admission was one of the mitigating factors that had lessened the sentence demand.

Hidayat's lawyer John K. Aziz said the sentence sought by prosecutors was too harsh. 'We request a week to arrange a plea bargain,' said John after the indictment.

Presiding judge Agus Setiawan then adjourned the trial until next week.

In another courtroom at the Medan Corruption Court on Wednesday, KPK prosecutors demanded judges sentence Khairil to six years in prison for accepting the Rp 1 billion bribe for the Panyabungan General Hospital project.